In the void, Laozi's body swayed slightly.
A mouthful of Purple-Gold Saint Blood, as brilliant as stars yet as dim as dust, slowly spilled from his mouth.
The blood droplets floated, each one reflecting the Saint Dao Foundation of his billion-dollar society, and the Wu Wei Dao Fruit that was now crumbling inch by inch.
"Laugh..."
The holy blood dripped into the void, but did not dissipate.
Instead, it scorched the surrounding space with dark holes, and purple energy swirled around the edges of the holes, which was the dissipation of the Sage Origin.
Laozi's originally simple and unassuming face was now aging at a visible rate.
The wrinkles on his forehead deepened, his hair and beard grew increasingly dry and white, and even his half-open eyes, which seemed to reflect the ancient Milky Way, dimmed by a third.
That's not all.
The Pure and Non-Action aura surrounding him, which seemed to be one with heaven and earth, shattered inch by inch, revealing beneath it his constantly weakening and declining... Saint Realm Cultivation!
Heavenly Dao Sage Sixth Heaven Peak...
Sixth Heaven Mid...
Sixth Heaven Early...
The Fifth Heaven...
The Fourth Heaven...
With each fall, Laozi's body hunched over a little more, and the purple aura around him dissipated.
Finally, he came to a steady stop at... the Heavenly Dao Sage First Heaven Early!
Moreover, his aura was weak and his Unstable Realm, like a candle flickering in the wind, which could be extinguished at any moment!
" Elder Brother!"
Yuanshi Tianzun's pupils constricted sharply, and he cried out in alarm!
He stepped forward and supported Laozi's swaying figure. The Jade Purity Immortal Light poured into Laozi's body without reservation, attempting to stabilize the constantly collapsing Saint Dao Foundation.
But the moment they made contact, Yuanshi shuddered!
He clearly sensed that the foundation of Laozi Tzu's Saint Dao Foundation... was already riddled with cracks!
That was the backlash from the Foundation of Establishing Sect being severed!
" The Human Sect... the Human Race Fortune..."
Yuanshi's face was ashen, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror:
"How could a mere Human Race Will shake the Sage Dao Foundation?"
Laozi slowly raised his hand and wiped the holy blood from the corner of his mouth.
The movements remained slow, yet carried an unprecedented heaviness.
He shook his head slightly, his voice hoarse, no longer displaying his usual calm and indifferent demeanor.
"It is not... the Human Race Will."
He paused, raised his eyes to look at the still soaring Crimson Gold Martial Dao Light Pillar on the East Sea Coast, and looked at the formed Chaos Rune deep within the light pillar. For the first time, a clear sense of regret appeared in his eyes.
"It is... the Great Dao."
" Xuandu summoned the Great Dao, using the Martial Dao Law to completely sever my Karma with the Human Race."
" The Human Sect... is now defunct in name only."
As soon as he finished speaking, Laozi's body swayed again.
If it weren't for Yuanshi's support, he probably wouldn't be able to maintain his suspended position in mid-air by now.
" The Great Dao..."
The pupils of the Yuanshi Tianzun Venerable contracted again, and a chill spread through his heart.
How could he not know what the Great Dao means?
That is Supreme Existence that transcends even the Heavenly Dao!
Could Xuandu truly summon the Great Dao, and even forcibly sever the Sage's Karma using the Power of Great Dao?
What is the origin of this child?
"Cough cough..."
Laozi coughed violently again, and Purple-Gold Saint Blood kept spilling from the corners of his mouth.
He slowly closed his eyes and looked inward at himself.
His Saint Dao Foundation was shattered, and his Saint Realm Cultivation plummeted to the First Heaven, and it continues to slowly decline.
If he hadn't become a saint the earliest, accumulated the most merit, and had the Primordial Violet Qi protecting his Primordial Spirit, he would probably have completely fallen from his sainthood and become Quasi-Saint by now!
Even so...
"Within ten thousand years... I must go into seclusion."
Laozi spoke slowly, his voice hoarse:
" Remold Dao Foundation and solidify the Saint Realm."
He looked at Yuanshi, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes:
" Second Brother, before the Great Tribulation... do not seek trouble with Xuandu and the Interception Sect again."
Upon hearing Yuanshi, Yuanshi frowned deeply:
" Elder Brother! This boy has ruined your Dao Path and destroyed your Human Sect. This enmity is irreconcilable!"
"Moreover, he has now condensed the Martial Dao Law, and his momentum is already established. If he were to further Attain Zenith Heaven Hunyuan..."
"At that time, the Jie Sect's Fortune with overwhelming fortune. How can our Chan Sect compete in the great calamity?"
Each question was veiled, each word filled with resentment.
Laozi simply shook his head.
"The tide has turned... beyond our control."
He gazed towards the East Sea Coast, towards the Myriad Human Race whose Blood Qi Soaring to the Heavens, and a rare... bewilderment flashed in his eyes.
A hundred years ago, the Human Race was merely a pawn in his hands, and he could seize the fate of the Human Sect at will.
A century later, the Human Race Establish Martial Dao, their will as firm as iron, even capable of shaking the Sage Dao Foundation.
This Great Wilderness... has truly changed.
" Xuandu ..."
Laozi murmured softly, which eventually turned into a long sigh:
"Never mind..."
"Go back to the mountain."
He said no more, his sleeves fluttered slightly, and purple mist enveloped his mangled body as he slowly drifted towards Shouyang Mountain.
His back was hunched, his steps faltering; the detached Non-Action Sage.
Yuanshi Tianzun gazed silently in the direction Laozi had left, his expression shifting uncertainly.
There was anger, resentment, disbelief, and above all, a sense of powerlessness.
The head of the Three Pure Ones, the Xuanmen Senior Brother, the Grand Pure Sage who has been in charge of the Human Sect and has enjoyed the Human Race Fortune for countless eons...
Xuandu, a group of Human Race whom he considered ants, actually severed the Foundation of Establishing Sect and destroyed Human Sect by resonating with the Martial Dao Will and borrowing the Power of Great Dao, even causing the Saint Realm to fall to the First Heaven!
This completely overturned his entire understanding of Sage, the Way of Heavenly Dao, and the Great Wilderness Order!
" Human Race... martial arts..."
Yuanshi murmured these two words in a low voice.
He slowly turned his head, his gaze fixed on the East Sea Coast.
There, the crimson-gold Martial Dao Light Pillar still soared into the sky, piercing through the Yun Xiao and shaking the eight wastelands.
Deep within the pillar of light, the Chaos Color Martial Dao Law Rune slowly rotated, emanating an unprecedented, vibrant yet sharp and domineering Daoist aura.
Beneath the runes, Myriad Human Race sat cross-legged, their Blood Qi Resonance like the roar of ten thousand dragons, their will converging like a celestial sword hanging overhead.
Even though they were separated by endless void, Yuanshi could clearly feel the vast, boundless, and indomitable Human Race Will!
This will, a hundred years ago, was as weak and feeble as a candle flickering in the wind.
A century later, it has turned into Prairie Fire, burning the sky and boiling the sea!
And the source of all this...
" Xuandu ..."
Yuanshi slowly uttered the name, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in his sleeve hummed and trembled uncontrollably, and the Jade Purity Immortal Light flickered erratically, clearly indicating that his emotions had reached their peak.
An overwhelming hatred!
If it weren't for this child, Ran Deng wouldn't have perished, the Twelve Golden Immortals of Chan Sect wouldn't have become a laughingstock, and Yuanshi wouldn't have been forced to retreat in the North Sea, losing Sage's Visage!
If it weren't for this child, Tongtian wouldn't be so powerful, the Interception Sect wouldn't have experienced such a surge in fortune, and the Three Pure Ones wouldn't have reached the point of near rupture today!
If it weren't for this child... Laozi's Dao Foundation wouldn't have crumbled, the Human Sect wouldn't have been abolished, and he wouldn't have almost fallen from the Saint Realm!
All of this is because of Xuandu!
"This child... must not be allowed to live."
The last trace of hesitation in Yuanshi's eyes vanished completely, replaced by a chilling and resolute determination.
He slowly raised his right hand, and in his palm, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi shone with light, and the Jade Purity Dao Patterns intertwined and rotated, evolving into images of Mountains Rivers and State, the sun, moon and stars.
However, within that light and shadow, there was a faint hint of blood, and an Calamity Qi was brewing.
" The Witch-Demon Tribulation are Heavenly Dao's Predetermined Number."
Yuanshi's mind raced, countless calculations colliding and unfolding rapidly in his mind.
Xuandu Establish Martial Dao, gathered the Human Race, gained the Great Dao Recognition, and the Martial Dao Law have been formed. Its momentum seems unstoppable.
But... is it truly unstoppable?
"Martial arts are based on humanity, Temper Oneself, Not Relying on External Objects, and without depending on the Heavenly Dao..."
A cold smile slowly curved the corners of Yuanshi's lips.
"This path seems pure, but in reality... its weakness lies here!"
Not Relying on External Objects means a lack of resources and slow growth.
To not rely on the Heavenly Dao means to be unable to gain the approval of Heaven and Earth, and to face numerous calamities.
More importantly... martial arts cultivation requires a massive amount of Blood Qi to sustain it, and endless tempering of willpower.
Although the Human Race is numerous, how many can truly reach the pinnacle of martial arts?
"What if the path of cultivation for Human Race is severed?"
The path of cultivation for Human Race has been severed!
The moment this thought arose, even Yuanshi himself felt a slight tremor in his mind.
This is not impossible.
Although Human Race cultivate martial arts without relying on the Heavenly Dao, they still need to absorb the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to Blood Qi Refining and temper their will.
But who controls the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi?
The Stars, mountains and rivers, the earth's veins and spiritual energy... all are subject to the Heavenly Dao Order!
He, Yuanshi, Sage Yuqing, wielding a portion of the Heavenly Dao Authority. Although he could not directly interfere with the human realm, he could... influence the Heaven and Earth Environment!